Giannis Antetokounmpo

Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams believes Devin Booker should be the front-runner for MVP this season despite players like Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo getting more hype to win the award.

"How many guys with his numbers and our record weren't the MVP?" he asked reporters Wednesday. "I've heard in Book's case it's because he plays with Chris [Paul]. That's kind of silly because [James] Harden won one playing with Chris."

Williams isn't alone in holding that belief:

The argument in favor of Booker is that he's the leading scorer (26.7 PPG) on the best team in basketball. It's not particularly close—at the time of publication the Suns were 63-16, eight wins better than any other team.

Now you could make the argument that the Western Conference is having something of a down year, with a number of past contenders like the Los Angeles Lakers, Clippers and Denver Nuggets dealing with major injuries throughout the year.

But the Eastern Conference is loaded this season, and the Suns went 25-5 against those teams. They've had an incredible regular season.

It's a bit easier to make the argument against Booker being the MVP, however. He's currently just 10th in scoring average and doesn't offer an equivalent secondary skill to players like Jokic (elite playmaker from the center position), Embiid or Antetokounmpo (both elite defenders).

You want advanced stats? Booker is 20th in win shares (7.5), 17th in VORP (3.5), 20th in box plus-minus (4.0), 38th in player impact estimate (13.7) and 26th in player efficiency rating (21.45). For context, the trio of Jokic, Embiid and Antetokounmpo all rank top-three in each of those metrics.

Booker's had a great season. But the best player doesn't always play on the team with the best record. That's likely the argument MVP voters will make when they vote for either Jokic, Embiid or Giannis.

Advanced stats via Basketball Reference and NBA.com.

The defending champions are back in the postseason.

The Milwaukee Bucks clinched a spot in the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season with a 120-119 overtime win over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday.

The Bucks also needed a loss by the Cleveland Cavaliers to clinch Thursday, and the Cavs fell to the Atlanta Hawks 131-107.

Giannis Antetokounmpo poured in 44 points with 14 rebounds to secure the victory over Brooklyn, his second consecutive 40-point game.

While the playoffs were never really a question for a Milwaukee squad that has bigger goals, it deserves plenty of credit for navigating some of the ups and downs of the season. Brook Lopez suffered a back injury in the season opener, Pat Connaughton suffered a fractured finger, and the depth of the role players has been a significant concern.

At the All-Star break, ESPN noted the Bucks played 24 different starting lineups through the first 60 games alone.

Yet the presence of the Big Three of Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton means they are legitimate contenders no matter who is surrounding them on the floor.

Antetokounmpo is arguably the best player in the game ,as he is unstoppable attacking the basket, can control the glass, is an elite-level defender at times and can facilitate if needed. There is a reason he is a two-time MVP, and he will be the focal point throughout the playoffs.

Middleton is the secondary scorer who can stretch the floor and take advantage of openings when opponents double Antetokounmpo, while Holiday is the calming presence who controls the tempo of the game but can also score himself or distribute while providing solid perimeter defense.

Thanks in large part to the presence of those three players—and the fact the Bucks just broke through for their first championship since 1970-71—it is once again title-or-bust expectations for the team.

The path may be more difficult this time around, too, considering Kyrie Irving missed the last three games of the second round for the Nets last season and the Atlanta Hawks weren't exactly a juggernaut in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Milwaukee will also get every team's best shot as the defending champion facing a loaded Eastern Conference field that includes presumed contenders in the Philadelphia 76ers, Nets, Miami Heat and Boston Celtics.

Every round could be difficult, but this team already proved it can navigate the pressure-packed moments on this stage with last season's championship run.

Highlights of Antetokounmpo's 2021 NBA Finals performance will play when he's eventually inducted into the Hall of Fame. Now he has the chance to add another ring to his resume as the Bucks attempt to become the first team to win back-to-back championships since the Golden State Warriors did so in 2017 and 2018.         

The Milwaukee Bucks announced that superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo will not play Saturday against the Minnesota Timberwolves due to right knee soreness.

Antetokounmpo is rapidly building a Hall of Fame resume, and he's put himself in contention for a third NBA MVP Award during the 2021-22 season. He's averaged 29.8 points, 11.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.4 blocks through 59 appearances.

Injuries are the one thing that's slowed the 27-year-old Greece native down at times. He's dealt with knee, ankle, calf and quad ailments, but nothing that's kept him on the sideline for an extended period. He's also spent time in the NBA's COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

All signs point toward Saturday essentially being a rest day for Giannis rather than him dealing with a significant issue.

Since the playoffs are quickly approaching, head coach Mike Budenholzer is likely hoping to keep Antetokounmpo as fresh and healthy as possible.

Luckily for the Bucks, they have no shortage of depth in their frontcourt and should have enough firepower to remain competitive against a tough T-Wolves team.

Bobby Portis and Serge Ibaka are the top candidates to receive a bump in playing time Saturday at the center or power forward spots, while Brook Lopez could see his workload increased as well after recently returning from a back injury that kept him out since October.

Additionally, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday will be called upon to increase their scoring output.

Giannis Antetokounmpo thinks the rest of the NBA world is indifferent about the Milwaukee Bucks in their quest to win a second straight championship. 

Speaking to ESPN's Malika Andrews (starts at :05 mark), Antetokounmpo said "nobody cares about us" when asked if there was an advantage to flying under the radar for the Bucks. 

The Bucks have been going through the motions for most of the season, due in part to a number of key players missing extended periods of time. 

Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton have all missed at least 11 games. Pat Connaughton and Bobby Portis are the only players on the roster who have appeared in at least 51 of the team's 60 games. 

Bucks general manager Jon Horst did take steps to supplement the roster at the trade deadline. The team added Serge Ibaka from the Los Angeles Clippers as part of a four-team deal on Feb. 10. 

Per FanDuel Sportsbook, Milwaukee currently has the fourth-best title odds at +650 (bet $100 to win $650). The Golden State Warriors (+410), Phoenix Suns (+410) and Brooklyn Nets (+600) are ahead of the defending champs. 

Despite not having their core together as frequently as they would like, the Bucks are currently the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 36-24 record. They rank ninth in the NBA in net rating (plus-3.4), per Basketball-Reference.com.  

The Bucks aren't in a much different position now than they were at this point last season. They were 37-23 through 60 games and went on to finish third in the Eastern Conference. 

Milwaukee went on to defeat the Miami Heat, Nets, Atlanta Hawks and Suns in the playoffs en route to winning the franchise's second championship. 

As long as the Bucks have Antetokounmpo, Holiday and Middleton on the court in the playoffs, they are capable of beating any team in the NBA. 

Antetokounmpo is in the midst of an MVP-caliber season. The 27-year-old is second in the league in scoring (29.4 points per game), tied for seventh in rebounding (11.2) and is averaging a career high in assists (6.0). 

After an eight-day All-Star break, Antetokounmpo and the Bucks will return to the court on Saturday when they host the Nets at Fiserv Forum.